China does hold elections, but they are not usually much of a contest. While independent candidates theoretically can run for local people’s congresses, their campaigns are often shot down on technical grounds. Candidates eyeing seats in the National People’s Congress (NPC) haven’t fared much better. Meanwhile, netizens joked last March about the “suspense” of the NPC election, when Xi Jinping was voted into the presidency.
The city of Nanjing boasts direct election of officials above the village level, but its people’s congress seems to be as much of a rubber stamp as the NPC. On January 16, the Yangtse Evening Post posted on Weibo about the election of Nanjing’s new mayor:
扬子晚报: Nanjing People’s Congress Elects New Mayor: The Nanjing People’s Congress is electing a new mayor. The candidate is Miao Ruilin. Today 514 representatives were present, and are currently marking their ballots (see photos). Yangtse Evening Post/Chou Huidong
【南京人代会选举新市长】南京市人代会正在选举新一任市长，候选人为缪瑞林。今天实到人民代表514名，正在填写选票（见图）。扬子晚报仇惠栋 [Chinese]
Ballot for Nanjing’s mayoral election. (扬子晚报/Weibo)
Only Miao Ruilin’s name is on the ballot. (扬子晚报/Weibo)
Nanjing People’s Congress. (扬子晚报/Weibo)
扬子晚报: Miao Ruilin Elected Mayor of Nanjing: The results of the Nanjing People’s Congress vote: 509 in favor, 3 opposed, 2 abstain. Miao Ruilin has been elected mayor of the Nanjing people’s government. Yangtse Evening Post/Chou Huidong
【缪瑞林当选南京市长】南京人代会选举结果，509票赞成，3票反对，2票弃权，缪瑞林当选南京市人民政府市长。扬子晚报仇惠栋 [Chinese]
Netizens were quick to deride the vote:
oO我不是花卷Oo: …This is a blessing for the decidophobic.
。。。。。。。选择恐惧症患者的福音
Damon寻达: The representatives must have been so torn between Miao Ruilin and Miao Ruilin.
代表们肯定很纠结，到底是选缪瑞林呢还是缪瑞林呢
四输五尽12: Does the single-candidate election count as China’s greatest invention?
等额选举，算是中国最伟大的发明创造吗？
顺祥: A democratic election founded on the truth of the universe! The most democratic election in the entire universe!
掌握宇宙真理的民主选举！全宇宙最民主的选举！
r-Sandman丶: This looks like a very difficult choice.
好难选的样子
乍暖还寒cyl: Here’s what we should do: From now on, multiple choice questions on tests should only have one answer to choose from. Everyone will be happy.
强烈建议：今后考试时，选择题只有一个答案供选择。全都满分皆大欢喜。
枫叶TTQ：At least throw in a show contender.
枫叶TTQ：好歹整个陪衬撒
平寧: Can a buffet that only serves one dish still call itself a buffet?
自助餐厅就一道菜也有碧莲叫自助么
小丁201010: Waste of paper.
浪费纸张
本_本: They were only letting you all know what’s going on. And you still think you’re the main dish.
本_本：通知你们一声而已，还真把自己当根菜了。
风雨刀客: You just have to be elected, and you win by a landslide; just be investigated, and you’re corrupt; just have something bad happen, and you’ll cry your heart out.
只要当选，没有不高票的；只要被查，没有不贪污的；只要出事，没有不痛哭的。
貂锦胡尘: They have redefined “choice.”
它们重新定义了“选”
弄死算了: Even Kim Jong-un has a ballot. That’s a given. Doesn’t this explain something else? Even the right to have a fake election is only available to the people’s representatives.
就连金正恩都有选票，这是必须的。是不是还有一件事说明了：就连假选的权利也都只有当上了人代才有？
Read more about elections in China.
Via CDT Chinese. Translation by Cindy.
